Newfoundland braces for Christmas storm

A winter storm warning was issued for parts of southern Newfoundland Tuesday, as drivers heading home on Christmas Eve were told to take special care on highways. 

Back-to-back systems were expected to drop as much as 25 cms of snow on the southern Avalon Peninsula.

Environment Canada issued snowfall warnings for the rest of the Avalon and Burin peninsulas.

"It's certainly going to be falling," Environment Canada meteorologist Rodney Barney said Tuesday, surveying forecasts that were expected to bring 10 to 20 cms of snow over other areas of eastern Newfoundland. 

Snow was expected to intensify on Tuesday evening and continue into Christmas Day, as a weather system crosses over the Grand Banks.

For Labrador, it will be a cold Christmas, with the wind chill expected to dip to -43 C in Churchill Falls and -38 C in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

St. John's International Airport reported a few delays in its schedule. The airport said it had an extra crew on its airfield to ensure that travellers made it home for Christmas.